Power of Prayer - Mahbubnagarby Jasti Victor10/18/2009 / Short Stories

"Sir, my fifteen year only son, Suresh Benhur is stranded for the last six hours on the ledge while crossing the river. Please sir, help him." pleaded Mrs. Mary Benhur to the Group Captain.

The Captain explained patiently,"We have come all the way only for this rescue work. As the 14 helicopters are busy evacuating the stranded at Kurnool which is facing the worst flooding in 100 hundred years, we are getting another helicopter from the Hakimpet Air Force. It has to travel 150 km and we expect it in an hour or so."

"Sir, he wont last that long," sobbed Mrs. Mary Benhur.

"Have courage,we will rescue every one of them."

"I am not talking about the ten students who are stranded nearer to the shore; I am talking about my son who is further down the river. Actually he needs help urgently as he was holding on to the ledge for more than six hours"

"Yes Ma'am, we will rescue every one of them."

The wireless crackled and the Group Captain waiting for an opportunity to escape from the grieving mother, walked hurriedly with the wireless set towards the helipad. He turned to see Mrs. Mary Benhur still kneeling, with her eyes closed.

And he murmured in the wireless "Everyone's praying.We all need praying. When are you reaching the site?"

"By 4.30 pm, in another ten minutes, Sir"

The helicopter landed exactly at 4.30 pm.Looking up at the clouds which looked ominous and threatening to rain, the pilot asked him. "Captain what's the instruction?"

Seeing the life jackets being loaded he replied, " Our top priority is to rescue the ten students, before dusk."

"But sir what about that lad struck on the ledge downstream. He cannot survive the night. He has also to be rescued immediately."

"Pilot, we stick to the instructions. First rescue the ten and if light permits we rescue that lad downstream, otherwise we just drop him a life jacket and hope he latches on to it. His mother is praying hard. Hope her God listens to her prayer."

Hearing the helicopter approach the ten students, the crowd waiting on the shore roared and clapped.

The helicopter was in no time over the top of the ten students.A rope ladder was dropped and with the help of the megaphone, instructions were shouted 'One at a time, please'. Sadly the ten paid no heed as all of them clambered and held on to the rope ladder. The pilot, shocked, picked up the megaphone and shouted assuring that all the ten would be rescued. "Please one at a time. We will help each one of you."

But no one paid any heed as all the ten held on to the rope ladder endangering the helicopter which started swinging dangerously.
The pilot seeing the situation cut off the rope ladder and let go of all the ten students. Quickly dropping life jackets to the ten students, the helicopter took off towards the direction of the lone boy stranded downstream.

Lowering a rope ladder, the pilot rescued the boy.

Joining his kneeling mother, Suresh Benhur exhausted, collapsed near her. The commotion woke up his mother who nearly fainted seeing the wet motionless boy. But as soon the paramedics administered first aid and covered him with a woolen blanket she was relieved.

In a little while Suresh opened his eyes and smiled weakly at his mother.

"Praise God," shouted Mary and hugged him."I Knew you will be rescued. At one time i was doubtful, but i prayed incessantly. I know the Good Lord will rescue you."

And she fell on him and cried to her heart's content.

"But Suresh, How did you get rescued?" she asked him again and again.

"The copter tried rescuing the ten, but as everyone clamored on to the rope the pilot had no choice but to cut the ladder. And as i was alone naturally he rescued me."

"Thank You Jesus. It's a miracle. No one believed that you will be rescued as the top priority was to rescue the ten. Praise the Lord."

Victor Jasti lives in India and is passionate about writing short stories based on the Bible and real incidents. He also writes Christian fiction and poetry. Five of his poems were published in Temporal Currents compiled by an American author, Ms. Christine Tricarico.